NORTHERN RHONE

Question 1

NORTHERN RHONE-IN GENERAL

Answer 1

• CLIMATE: MODERATE CONTINENTAL
• ITS QUITE NARROW & STEEP
• VINS PLANTED: CLOSE TO THE RIVER WHERE THE BEST SITES OCCUPY STEEP-SLOPES W/ A SOUTH-FACING ASPECT
• THESE SITES: LIE IN LATERAL VALLEYS=SERVE TO PROTECT THE VINES FROM THE COLD NORTH WINDS (MISTRAL)=CAN EASILY DAMAGE THEM
• VINES: SUPPORTED EITHER BY AN INDIVIDUAL STAKES OR BY A TEPEE-LIKE ARRANGEMENT OF STAKES

Question 2

NORTHERN RHONE-REGIONS & WINES

Answer 2

• MOST OF WINES COME FROM: ONE OF THE CRU APP, ALTHOUGH THEORATICALLY GENERIC COTES DU RHONE CAN BE MADE HERE TOO
• MOST OF THESE CRUS IN N.R: TINY, W/ONLY SAINT JOSEPH & CROZES-HERMITAGE COVERING A SIGNIFICANT AREA

Question 3

COTE ROTIE

Answer 3

VINS:AROUND THE TOWN OF AMPUIS/ MOST NORTHERLY APP OF THE RHONE V

-COTE ROTIE: TRANSLATES AS “ROASTED SLOPE” =GIVES SOME IDEA TO EXPOSURE TO SUN

WINES:ONLY RED W PROD/ 20% VIOGNIER CAN BE ADDED/ USUALLY NOT INC MORE THAN SMALL PERCENTAGE

-DEEP C/ F BODIED/ SPICY/ BEST WINES: AROMATIC, FLORAL, FRESHNESS & TEXTURAL ELEGANCE THAT DISTINGUISHES FROM HERMITAGE

Question 4

CONDRIEU

Answer 4

• WHITE W MADE SOLELY FROM THE VIOGNIER GR
• BEST W: LOW-YIELDING, OLD VINES, GROWN ON STEEP, WELL EXPOSED, TERRACED VINS
• CHATEAU GRILLET: SINGLE PROPERTY APP WITHIN CONDRIEU THAT PRO W IN A SIMILAR STYLE

Question 5

SAINT-JOSEPH

Answer 5

-RUNS ALONG THE WESTERN BANK OF THE RHONE FROM CONDRIEU IN NORTH TO TOURNON IN THE SOUTH

WINES: VAST MAJ: REDS FROM SYRAH

SOME WHITE W: MADE FROM MARSANNE & ROUSANNE

BEST W:TERRACED VINS NEAR TOURNON, FLAV INTENSITY & STRUCTURE SIMILAR TO HERMITAGE / EXCELLENT W ARE ALSO PROD JUST SOUTH OF CONDRIEU

LARGE VOLUMES OF WINES: L BODIED/USING CARBONIC MACERATION

• COME FROM FERTILE, FLATTER SITES THE VALLEY FLOOR & PLATEAU ABOVE THE SLOPES
• THESE W AMONG THE LIGHTEST-BODIED OF THE NORTHERN RHONE, EXPRESSING THE PEPPER-PERFUMED ASPECT OF SYRAH

Question 6

HERMITAGE

Answer 6

• LOC ON THE STEEP SOUTH-FACING SLOPE, BEHINF THE TOWN OF TAIN L’HERMITAGE
• DIVIDED INTO NUMBER OF LIEUX-DITS, NAMED SITES, NOT PART OF THE APP SYSTEM
• THEY VARY IN STEEPNESS & ASPECT=GIVES W SUBTLY DIFFERENT STYLE & BODY
• BEST HERMITAGE: TRAD. BEEN A BLEND OF THESE DIFFERENT SITES/ BUT SOME PROD STARTED TO RELEASE W MADE FROM SPECIFIC LIEUX-DITS

WINES:RED HERMITAGE: FULLEST BODIED OF THE N.R RED W & AGE WELL

• RARELY NOW %15 OF THE MARSANNE & ROUSANNE MAY BE FERMENTED W SYRAH
• MARSANNE&ROUSANNE ACCOUNT FOR 5TH OF HERMITAGE’S WHITE W PRO

Question 7

CROZES-HERMITAGE

Answer 7

• MOST IMP APP IN TERMS OF VOLUME
• VINS: LIE ON MIXED TERRAIN AROUND THE HILL OF HERMITAGE

NORTH OF HERMITAGE: VINS ON SLOPES

SOUTH OF HERMITAGE: ON A FLAT PLAIN

RED WINES: MADE FROM SYRAH (15% MARSANNE OR ROUSANNE ADDITION=OPTIONAL) Q & STYLE, PRICE VARIES SIGNIFICANTLY DEPEND. ON LOC OF THE VINS

LIGHTER WINES:HIGHER YIELDING FLATTER SITES IN THE SOUTH

MORE CONCENT, COMLEX, TANNIC W:VINES GROWING ON THE STEEPER SLOPES TO THE NORTH

SOME OF THE MORE EXPENSIVE W:MAY BE AGED IN OAK

• OVERALL: RED W OF CROZES-HERMITAGE=DON’T ENJOY SAME REP AS THOSE FROM HERMITAGE & COTIE ROTIE
• WHITE WINES: SOME PROD

Question 8

CORNAS

Answer 8

• MOST SOUTHERLY OF THE RED W CRUS & FAR THE WARMEST
• VINS: LIE ON THE SHELTERED, WELL EXPOSED SUN BAKED SOUTH-FACING SLOPES OF THE MANY LATERAL VALLEYS EXIST HERE
• UNLIKE OTHER APP: CORNAS MUST BE MADE OF 100% SYRAH
• WINES: DEEPLY C/ F BODIED/ STYLE & Q SIMILAR TO HERMITAGE